Portable switchboard.



G. THOMPSON.

PDRTABLE SWITCHBOARD.

APPLICATIGN FILED DEC. 6. 1915,

Patented June 26, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

q'i F1291.

G. THOMPSON.

PORTABLE SWITCHBOARD.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC. 6. 1915.

1,230,946. Patented June 26, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

j Igzfwlbr @W 4/? M/ 147/ W 0 by MLWMWM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE THOMPSON, OF SHELBY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOCALL COMPANY, OF SHELBY, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PORTABLE SWITGI-IBOARD.

Application filed December 6, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonsn THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelby, county of Richland, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Switchboards, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple and compact switchboard whereby, by plugging in at difierent points, a wide range of circuit connections may be obtained.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device arranged in accordance with a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on a larger scale approximately on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sections taken respectively on line H, line 5-5, line 66 and line 7-7 of Fig. 3, the casing being omitted.

Referring to the drawing, 1, 2, 3 and 4: represent four slabs of insulating material each of which is hollowed out on one side to form a pocket, 5, the pocket extending about halfway through the slab. In each pocket are, arranged two parallel bars, these being indicated respectively at 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, 12 and 13. Extending down the middle of each pocket, from one end to the other, are a series of posts or spacers, 14, conveniently formed integral with the slab, and serving as spacers to hold the two bars in the pocket apart. The bars are made narrow enough so that between one edge of each of the same and the side of the pocket in which it is placed there may be arranged a long bow spring 15, which presses it yieldingly against the posts, allowing it however to move back and forth a limited distance toward and away from the posts.

Specification of Letters Patent.

length of the bar.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Serial No. 65,232.

Holes, 16, are formed in each slab, passing through the bottoms of the pockets at the longitudinal center of the latter; the holes belng similarly spaced throughout the several slabs so that when the four slabs are superposed one upon the other, corresponding holes will register with each other. The holes are made of a diameter somewhat greater than the minimum distance between the two bars of each set. In the arrangement shown, the spacers or posts on each slab are in the nature of a rib extending from one end of the pocket to the other and interrupted at intervals by holes, 16, bored through the same. Each bar has soldered or otherwise secured to it one end of one of a series of wires, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, which are preferably gathered into a cable, 25. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the bars 6 and 7 have straight edges facing each other; the bar 8 has three notches, 26, cut in its inner edge opposite three of the openings, 16, so as to provide a clearance at these three points between the bar and a plug inserted through the corresponding three openings. The bar 9 has three notches, 27, similar to the notches 26 but differently disposed relatively to the The bar 10 has three notches, 28, arranged in one group and two notches, 29, arranged in another group. The bar, 11, has two notches, 30, registering with the notches, 29, on the bar, 10, and two other notches, 32, which lie opposite a straight portion of the bar, 10. Similarly the bars 12 and 13 are each provided with a series of notches some of which are opposite similar notches on the other bar, as indicated at 33 and 34, while others are opposite straight portions on the other bar.

The result is that when a plug, such as indicated at 35, is inserted into one of the holes of the assembled device, it makes metallic contact with from two to eight of the bars, depending upon the hole into which it is inserted; thus making provision for a great variety of circuit connections.

When the several insulating slabs are assembled, the pocket in each is covered by the overlying slab, leaving only one pocket, that in the member 1, to be closed by other means. In order to close this latter pocket I have provided a plane slab, 36. of insulating material.

The parts heretofore described may be or'bolt'sf37,intoa single complete iinit, this"; unit being then inclosed within a suitable metallic casing, 38, containing'alens, 3 9 and a small electric lamp, 4E0, behind the lens; the lamp being supplied with current through suitable wires, 41, carried out through the cable 25. The front wall of the casing is provided with openings, 42, registering With' theope-nings 16 in the insulating slabs, thus permittingthe plug to be inserted from outside of the casing. The plug is preferably made fiat as illustrated, its width being slightly less than the diameter of the openings 16 and its thickness being consi'derablyle'ss. With this construction,th e'plug may be inserted' into any one of the holes with" its flat face lying paral lel' with the long edges of the switch bars, the plug being then turned so as to bring it into metallic contact with the bars with which it isto engage. I thus insure a wip ing contact which will keep the surfaces clean.

The casing may be provided with ears, 43, by ineans oi' which it maybe fastened to a table, desk or other support. i

The cable may connectthe switch board to a call signal or to any other controlling means or apparatus to :be controlled.

While I- have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my ini entiofn, I do not desire to be limited to'the exact "structural details thus illustrated and described; but intendto cover all forms and arrangements which come within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A switch board having thereon a row of sockets, a row of plates lying one behind the other. behind said sockets and. extending throughout the, length of the ro'w,"the' plates bei'ng insulated from each other,'anda plug a'dapted' tobe inserted in said sockets, and

said' plates being provided with notches in proximity to said sockets so distributed among the plates that the plug makes physiczit'contact with'said plates in various c'omupon; he Socket into which the P g 'placed.

2. In a device of the character described, a series of superposed slabs on plates of in; sulating material each having a" "pocket formeddn one side thereof, two strips of conducting material lying in each of said pockets, separating pieces projecting from the. bottoms of the pockets between corresponding strips to hold them apart, springs within the pockets for pressing the strips toward each other, said slabs or plates having a series of registering holes extending through the same betweenthe strips 'ofconducting material, and a plug adapted to' be inserted into any oneof said. holes, certain of the strips having portions c'i'it" "awayin 1 proximity to certain of said holes in order to prevent electrical connection between the same and the plug whenth'e "plug is inserted into the latter holes.

' 3. In a device ofthe character described, a body member made of insulating material containing as'eries ofelonga'ted pockets and a series of openingsextending through the same and each traversing said pockets, a strip of conducting 'm'at'erial arranged in each of said pockets and extending throughout the length of said series of openings, and a 'plug adapted to be inserted into any one of said openings,"certain of the strips hav ing" portions cut away'in proximity to .certain of said openings in order to prevent electrical contact between the same and the plug when the plug isinserte'd into the latter opening;

a. In a device of the character described, a body'member of insulating material containing a series ofelon'gated pockets and a series of openings arranged with sp'acels' between them and extending "through the same in a direction to cause'e'ach opening tojtraverse all of the pockets, separating pieces eX- tending across said pockets the spacesbetween certain of said openings', twofn' et'a'l strips lying in each pocket one-on each side of said separating pieces, springs in' each pocket for pressing the corresponding strips toward each other, certainof the strips having portions cut away in proximity to certain of said openings, and a plug adaptedto be'inserted into anyone of said openings.

In testimony" whereohl sign this specification; I

THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington','D2C. 

